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| Let us test Darwin, teacher says | Let us test Darwin, teacher says |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Science teaching materials deemed "not appropriate" by the government should be allowed in class, Education Secretary Alan Johnson has been told. | Science teaching materials deemed "not appropriate" by the government should be allowed in class, Education Secretary Alan Johnson has been told. |
| Ex-head of chemistry at Liverpool's Blue Coat School, Nick Cowan, says the packs promoting intelligent design are useful for debating Darwinist theories. | Ex-head of chemistry at Liverpool's Blue Coat School, Nick Cowan, says the packs promoting intelligent design are useful for debating Darwinist theories. |
| He urged Mr Johnson to view packs from lobby group Truth in Science for himself, before condemning them. | He urged Mr Johnson to view packs from lobby group Truth in Science for himself, before condemning them. |
| Education officials insist intelligent design is not recognised as science. | Education officials insist intelligent design is not recognised as science. |
| Advocates of intelligent design say there are things that cannot be explained by evolution and so argue for the existence of a supernatural intelligence behind the creation of the universe. | Advocates of intelligent design say there are things that cannot be explained by evolution and so argue for the existence of a supernatural intelligence behind the creation of the universe. |
| The Department for Education and Skills recently condemned the teaching packs, sent out to 5,000 secondary schools by the group of academics and clerics, as inappropriate and not supportive of the science curriculum. | The Department for Education and Skills recently condemned the teaching packs, sent out to 5,000 secondary schools by the group of academics and clerics, as inappropriate and not supportive of the science curriculum. |
| There's a sense that if you criticise Darwin you must be some kind of religious nut case Nick CowanFormer head of chemistry at Blue Coat School, Liverpool | There's a sense that if you criticise Darwin you must be some kind of religious nut case Nick CowanFormer head of chemistry at Blue Coat School, Liverpool |
| Reacting to Mr Cowan's letter, a DfES spokesman said: "Neither creationism nor intelligent design are taught as a subject in schools, and are not specified in the science curriculum. | Reacting to Mr Cowan's letter, a DfES spokesman said: "Neither creationism nor intelligent design are taught as a subject in schools, and are not specified in the science curriculum. |
| "The National Curriculum for science clearly sets down that pupils should be taught that the fossil record is evidence for evolution, and how variation and selection may lead to evolution or extinction." | "The National Curriculum for science clearly sets down that pupils should be taught that the fossil record is evidence for evolution, and how variation and selection may lead to evolution or extinction." |
| Mr Cowan's call comes as the Guardian reported that the Truth in Science materials were being used in 59 schools. | Mr Cowan's call comes as the Guardian reported that the Truth in Science materials were being used in 59 schools. |
| 'Sacred cow' | 'Sacred cow' |
| Mr Cowan says they are "very scholarly" and could be extremely useful in helping children understand the importance of scientific debate | Mr Cowan says they are "very scholarly" and could be extremely useful in helping children understand the importance of scientific debate |
| He told the BBC: "Darwin has for many people become a sacred cow. | He told the BBC: "Darwin has for many people become a sacred cow. |
| "There's a sense that if you criticise Darwin you must be some kind of religious nut case. | "There's a sense that if you criticise Darwin you must be some kind of religious nut case. |
| "We might has well have said Einstein shouldn't have said what he did because it criticised Newton." | "We might has well have said Einstein shouldn't have said what he did because it criticised Newton." |
| 'Controversy' | 'Controversy' |
| Mr Cowan argues that science only moves forward by reviewing and reworking previous theories and that these materials foster an understanding of this. | Mr Cowan argues that science only moves forward by reviewing and reworking previous theories and that these materials foster an understanding of this. |
| This is quite frankly a distraction that science teachers can well do without Phil Willis, Commons science and technology committee He also points out that the Truth in Science materials, which he describes as outstanding, do not mention creationism or even God. | This is quite frankly a distraction that science teachers can well do without Phil Willis, Commons science and technology committee He also points out that the Truth in Science materials, which he describes as outstanding, do not mention creationism or even God. |
| He says the GCSE syllabus requires children to appreciate how science works and understand the nature of scientific controversy. | He says the GCSE syllabus requires children to appreciate how science works and understand the nature of scientific controversy. |
| "The government wants children to be exposed to scientific debate at the age of 14 or 15. | "The government wants children to be exposed to scientific debate at the age of 14 or 15. |
| "All the Truth in Science stuff does is put forward stuff that says here's a controversy. This is exactly the kind of thing that young people should be exposed to," Mr Cowan added. | "All the Truth in Science stuff does is put forward stuff that says here's a controversy. This is exactly the kind of thing that young people should be exposed to," Mr Cowan added. |
| 'Poorly served' | 'Poorly served' |
| The chairman of the parliamentary science and technology committee, Phil Willis, said using the packs in science classes "elevated creationism" to the same level of debate as Darwinism and that there was no justification for that. | The chairman of the parliamentary science and technology committee, Phil Willis, said using the packs in science classes "elevated creationism" to the same level of debate as Darwinism and that there was no justification for that. |
| He added: "There's little enough time with the school curriculum to deal with real science like climate change, energy and the weather. | He added: "There's little enough time with the school curriculum to deal with real science like climate change, energy and the weather. |
| "This is quite frankly a distraction that science teachers can well do without." | "This is quite frankly a distraction that science teachers can well do without." |
| Dr Evan Harris, honorary associate of the National Secular Society and Liberal Democrat science spokesman, said it was worrying that some schools were giving "this nonsense" any credence. | |
| Many leading scientists argue that theories about intelligent design should not be allowed in school because they simply not scientific. | Many leading scientists argue that theories about intelligent design should not be allowed in school because they simply not scientific. |
| Back in April, the Royal Society warned against allowing creationism in school saying that pupils must understand that science backs Darwin's theory of evolution. | Back in April, the Royal Society warned against allowing creationism in school saying that pupils must understand that science backs Darwin's theory of evolution. |
| The society's statement said: "Young people are poorly served by deliberate attempts to withhold, distort or misrepresent scientific knowledge and understanding in order to promote particular religious beliefs." | The society's statement said: "Young people are poorly served by deliberate attempts to withhold, distort or misrepresent scientific knowledge and understanding in order to promote particular religious beliefs." |
| Recently the British Humanist Association asked Mr Johnson for greater clarity on the teaching of creationism in schools. | Recently the British Humanist Association asked Mr Johnson for greater clarity on the teaching of creationism in schools. |